South Korea D-8-4 Technology Startup Visa (OASIS)
South Korea KOR
South Korea's D-8-4 visa is a dedicated route for foreign founders launching technology-based startups in Korea, administered through the OASIS framework run jointly by the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups via the Global Startup Immigration Center.
Unlike the standard D-8 corporate-investor visa, which typically requires paid-in capital of roughly KRW 100 million (about $75,000), the D-8-4 has no minimum capital requirement — eligibility instead rests on a points-based evaluation crediting academic background, intellectual-property ownership, completed OASIS coursework, and business-plan strength. Applicants generally need at least 60 points to qualify.
The visa suits IP-driven founders — engineers, researchers, and technical specialists — who want to incorporate and personally operate a Korean startup rather than invest passively. It is issued initially for up to 12 months, extendable while the business operates, with a nominal track toward permanent residency and Korean citizenship for founders who remain resident and build a genuine operating company.
Program Details
- Category
- Entrepreneur
- Processing Time
- 3 months
- Application Fee
- $50
- Minimum Income
- —
- Minimum Investment
- —
- Family Included
- Spouse and minor children may apply for F-3 dependent visas; F-3 dependents generally cannot work in Korea without separately qualifying for their own status.
- Path to PR
- Yes — 5 years
- Path to Citizenship
- Yes — 5 years
- Physical Presence
- No statutory day-count is published for D-8-4 specifically; holders are expected to remain actively, operationally involved in running the registered Korean startup, and prolonged absence can jeopardise renewal.
- Dual Citizenship
- Not allowed
- Tax Impact
- Holders residing in South Korea for 183+ days per year are subject to Korean income tax on worldwide income at progressive rates up to 45%. Corporate tax applies separately to the startup's business profits.
- Renewal Cost
- $50
Not an income-based visa. Eligibility is points-based under Korea's OASIS (Overall Assistance for Startup Immigration System) framework, run by the Global Startup Immigration Center under Korea's Ministry of Justice and Ministry of SMEs and Startups. Applicants generally need at least 60 points on the Startup Immigration Points System, which credits academic background, IP ownership (patents/utility models), business-plan quality, and completed OASIS coursework (OASIS-1 contributes 15 points, OASIS-2 contributes 25 points, and full OASIS completion can add up to 30 bonus points). The exact weighting of every scoring category is not fully published in English-language primary sources.
Application Timeline
Apply
3mo processing
Visa Granted
Initial permit
Permanent Residency
After 5 years
Citizenship
After 5 years
Key Requirements
- ✓Bachelor's degree (or Associate's degree if obtained in Korea) or a formal recommendation letter from the Global Startup Immigration Center
- ✓Minimum 60 points under Korea's Startup Immigration Points System (OASIS), combining education, IP ownership, business-plan quality, and completed OASIS coursework
- ✓Registered Korean company (technology-based business) with the applicant as founder/representative
- ✓No minimum paid-in capital requirement (unlike the standard D-8 corporate-investor visa)
- ✓Business plan demonstrating a genuine technology/IP basis for the venture
- ✓Clean criminal record and valid passport
Am I eligible for South Korea D-8-4 Technology Startup Visa (OASIS)?
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This is a heuristic, not a determination. Final eligibility depends on full documentation and immigration-officer discretion.
Application Process — Step by Step
- 01
Build OASIS points profile
onlineComplete OASIS-1/OASIS-2 preparatory coursework and assemble evidence of IP ownership, education, and prior entrepreneurial track record to reach the 60-point threshold.
Typical duration: 4-12 weekssource ↗
- 02
Register a Korean company
destinationIncorporate a technology-based business entity in Korea with the applicant as founder/representative.
Typical duration: 2-4 weeks
- 03
Submit OASIS points evaluation
destinationApply to the Global Startup Immigration Center for formal points evaluation and certificate issuance.
Typical duration: 4-8 weekssource ↗
- 04
Apply for the D-8-4 visa
destinationSubmit the D-8-4 application to Korea Immigration (via HiKorea or a Korean consulate) with the OASIS certificate, business registration, and supporting documents.
Typical duration: 2-6 weekssource ↗
- 05
Receive visa and Alien Registration Card
destinationOnce approved, complete Alien Registration Card (ARC) issuance at the local immigration office.
Typical duration: 2-4 weeks
Documents Required
| Document | Issued By | Apostille | Translate to | Validity (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OASIS points evaluation certificate | Global Startup Immigration Center | No | — | — |
| Business registration certificate | Korean tax office | No | — | — |
| Bachelor's degree certificate | Home country university | Yes | ko | — |
| Valid passport | Home country passport authority | No | — | 180 |
| Criminal record certificate | Home country police | Yes | ko | 90 |
| Business plan | Applicant | No | ko | — |
Realistic Costs
Government fee reflects standard long-term visa issuance costs (~KRW 60,000); most other figures are industry-estimate ranges, not officially published. Company-registration and legal-support costs (not itself part of the visa fee) are typically the largest pre-visa expense.
Realistic Timeline
- Consulate wait2–8 weeks
- Decision → arrival4 weeks
- Residence card issuance4 weeks
- Total to residence card12–28 weeks
The OASIS points-building phase (coursework, IP documentation, business-plan preparation) typically adds more time than the formal visa adjudication itself once a qualifying points certificate is in hand.
Renewal
- First renewal after
- 12 months
- Subsequent cycle
- 12 months
- Renewal fee
- $50
- Requirements
- Continued active operation of the registered Korean startup, updated business performance metrics, and maintained OASIS-qualifying status; renewal is generally annual in the venture's early years.
Path to Permanent Residency — Details
Some details in this section are industry estimates or general guidance rather than officially verified — confirm against the official source before relying on them.
- Years required
- 5
- Language test
- KIIP (Korea Immigration & Integration Program) / TOPIK
- Integration test
- Required
Path to Citizenship — Details
- Years required
- 5
- Language test
- Yes
- Civic test
- Required
- Oath
- Required
- Dual citizenship
- Not allowed
Tax Residency
- Trigger
- 183 days/year of presence
- Taxation scope
- Worldwide income
- Exit-tax country
- No
Special regimes
- Foreign Expat Flat Tax Rate19% flat rate on Korean-source income
Foreign nationals working in Korea (including D-8-4 founders taking a salary from their own Korean company) may elect a flat 19% income tax rate instead of progressive rates (up to 45%) for their first 20 years in Korea. Must elect before filing the first Korean tax return.
Duration: 20 years
source ↗
Health Insurance
Some details in this section are industry estimates or general guidance rather than officially verified — confirm against the official source before relying on them.
- Mandatory
- Yes
- No co-pay required
- No
Banking Setup
Some details in this section are industry estimates or general guidance rather than officially verified — confirm against the official source before relying on them.
- Open account before arrival
- Not typically possible before arrival
Bridge fintechs
Local banks accepting applicants
KEB Hana Bank, Woori Bank, Shinhan Bank
Family Specifics
- Spouse work rights
- F-3 dependent visa; generally no independent work rights without separately qualifying for the spouse's own status.
- Child school enrolment
- Full access to Korean public schools; a growing number of international school options in Seoul and other major cities.
- Parent inclusion
- Not eligible
- Sibling inclusion
- Not eligible
Gotchas — Things to Watch For
- ⚠No minimum capital doesn't mean no cost — company registration, legal support, and OASIS coursework fees add up before the visa is even filed.
- ⚠OASIS points evaluation criteria and exact scoring weights are not fully published in English; work with a Korean-language advisor or the Global Startup Immigration Center directly to model your score before committing.
- ⚠The visa is tied to actively operating the specific registered company — substantially pivoting the business can jeopardise renewal.
- ⚠Korea does not generally allow dual citizenship for naturalised citizens; expect to renounce your prior citizenship if you pursue Korean citizenship long-term (narrow exceptions exist for limited categories).
- ⚠F-3 dependent status for spouse/children generally does not include independent work rights.
What This Visa Does NOT Allow
- ×Employment with an unrelated Korean employer outside the registered startup without separate work authorisation
- ×Passive investment without operational involvement (that pathway is the standard D-8 investor visa, not D-8-4)
- ×Automatic dual citizenship at naturalisation
Before You Arrive — Checklist
- Complete OASIS-1/OASIS-2 coursework and gather IP documentation
- Draft and refine the business plan for OASIS points evaluation
- Apostille and translate academic credentials
- Secure initial funding/proof of means for company registration and living costs
After You Arrive — Checklist
- Complete or finalise Korean company registration
- Register at the local immigration office for the Alien Registration Card (ARC)
- Open a Korean business bank account
- Secure a registered business address or co-working space
Common Rejection Reasons
- •Insufficient OASIS points (below the 60-point threshold)
- •IP claims not adequately substantiated with patent/utility-model documentation
- •Business plan doesn't demonstrate a genuine technology basis
- •Company registration incomplete or not classified under a qualifying technology/venture business category
- •Academic credentials not properly apostilled/verified
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need money to qualify for the D-8-4 visa?+
No minimum paid-in capital is required, unlike the standard D-8 corporate-investor visa which typically needs roughly KRW 100 million (~$75,000). Eligibility instead rests on the OASIS points evaluation. Real-world costs still apply, though — company registration, legal support, and living expenses in Korea.
What is OASIS and do I have to complete it?+
OASIS (Overall Assistance for Startup Immigration System) is the government-affiliated preparatory and evaluation programme run by the Global Startup Immigration Center. Completing OASIS coursework is not universally mandatory for D-8-4 in every case, but it is strongly recommended because it contributes meaningfully toward the 60-point threshold.
Can I bring my family?+
Yes — spouse and minor children can apply for F-3 dependent visas. F-3 status generally does not include independent work rights for the dependent.
Does this visa lead to Korean citizenship?+
There is a nominal path after roughly 5 years of continued legal residence under Korea's Nationality Act, but Korea generally requires renouncing prior citizenship at naturalisation, with only narrow statutory exceptions.
What happens if my startup fails?+
The visa is tied to actively operating the specific registered company. If the business fails or is substantially changed, renewal is jeopardised and the holder would need a new qualifying basis to remain in Korea.
Good Fit For
Applying from a specific country? Your home-country tax rules, banking access, and dual-citizenship options affect every programme differently. Browse nationality guides → for tax obligations, renunciation rules, and second-passport routes.
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